‘I got a lot of publicity when I went to Kashmir as Home Minister but my…’ What did Sushil Kumar Shinde say?

New Delhi : Tourism is booming in Jammu and Kashmir. Flags of Pakistan and ISIS were once seen at Srinagar’s Lal Chowk, but today the tricolour flutters and shines there with pride. Today people fearlessly admire the unmatched beauty of ‘heaven on earth’. But there was a time when the country’s Home Minister himself was scared of Lal Chowk. We are not saying this, but Sushil Kumar Shinde, who was the Home Minister during the UPA government, is admitting it himself. he/she is saying that he/she got a lot of publicity by going to Srinagar, but in reality he/she was ‘afraid’. he/she said this on the occasion of the release of his/her book ‘Five Decades of Politics’. Apart from political stalwarts like Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge, two-time CM of MP Digvijay Singh, well-known educationist Vijay Dhar was also present at the release of Shinde’s book. Dhar is very close to Shinde. Referring to one of his/her advices, Shinde said that he/she felt scared in Kashmir.

Shinde said, ‘Even before I was the Home Minister, I used to go to him/her (Vijay Dhar) and ask for advice. he/she gave me such a genuine advice that Sushil, don’t wander here and there. Go to Lal Chowk and give a speech there, meet some people and roam around in Dal Lake. I got a lot of publicity from that advice. People used to think that there is a Home Minister who goes there without any fear, but I used to be scared that whom should I tell this to.’ As soon as Shinde said this, the venue echoed with loud laughter. After this the Congress leader said, ‘It is true…but I said it to make people laugh but an ex-policeman cannot say such a thing.’

BJP can pounce upon Shinde’s statement about feeling scared and present it as evidence of the atmosphere of fear and terror in Jammu and Kashmir during the UPA government. The Bharatiya Janata Party counts the nullification of Article 370 as its achievement and claims that because of this, tourists can now travel fearlessly throughout Jammu and Kashmir.

Vijay Dhar is counted among the close associates of Sushil Kumar Shinde. It was on his/her request that Shinde visited a school in Srinagar while he/she was the Union Home Minister. Vijay Dhar is also the owner of that school.